<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/manchester-united/" target="_blank">Manchester United</a> find themselves in the unusual position of propping up the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/premier-league/" target="_blank">Premier League</a>, battered by takeover talk, uncertainty about the future of their superstar forward, and desperate for new recruits. It's a tough start for new manager <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/erik-ten-hag/" target="_blank">Erik ten Hag</a> after losing the first two games, at home to Brighton and the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/08/13/cristiano-ronaldo-seethes-as-manchester-united-are-thrashed-at-brentford-in-pictures/" target="_blank">thrashing at Brentford</a> - and next up it's the small matter of an Old Trafford test against bitter rivals <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/liverpool/" target="_blank">Liverpool</a>. His players - particularly skipper Harry Maguire - have come in for a barrage of criticism for their early form, and have been trying to rectify some of their problems on the training pitch ahead of Monday night's huge encounter. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/cristiano-ronaldo/" target="_blank">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> was one of the stars putting the work in, but whether he remains at the club after the transfer window shuts on September 1 remains to be seen. The Portuguese star has <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/08/17/cristiano-ronaldo-lashes-out-at-media-lies-over-manchester-united-future/" target="_blank">accused the media of spreading "lies"</a> regarding his future at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, the club is working hard to bring in new faces, with links to <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/08/18/casemiro-a-football-addict-who-can-add-balance-to-man-united-but-will-he-leave-madrid/" target="_blank">Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro</a>, Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, and Juventus star Adrien Rabiot. And on top of that, a spokesman for <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/08/18/jim-ratcliffe-ineos-billionaire-definitely-a-potential-buyer-of-manchester-united/" target="_blank">British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe</a> said the businessman is "definitely a potential buyer" of United if they are put up for sale by the Glazer family. The current United stars will be under further scrutiny when they face Liverpool, followed by a trip to Southampton next weekend. To see them in training, see the gallery above. To view the next image, just swipe.
